Life Continues Forward
by Falcon-chan
Summary: When Kagome decided to return to the past after the defeat of Naraku, she never expected to be left alone. Deciding she was better off on the move, Kagome started an adventure all on her own. Or so she thought. - A slow progress story centered around two very different people shown through snippets in time. - My First FanFic
1. Chapter 1: Moving On

_Disclaimer:_ Obviously I do not own InuYasha. This will be my one time disclaimer for the whole story.

**Life Continues Forward**

Chapter 1: **Moving On**

Wiping her arm over her forehead as she rocked back onto her feet from her kneeling position, Kagome looked up at the sky with a sigh. It was an uncomfortably hot summer day, and washing the new linens she would use for bandages in the cool river didn't offer her any relief from the muggy day. A younger her would have complained about the humid heat, but now she just silently endured it, going about her daily chores. Normally she would be almost done her mundane work, but her mind was occupied with the past and the next day marked the fourth year of her new life.

After defeating Naraku and choosing to remain in the Feudal Era, she spent half a year with InuYasha in the small community that would some day be Tokyo. She had accepted the robes of a priestess, became apprenticed to Kaede, and endured awkward interactions with InuYasha as she tried desperately to grab his attention in a more romantic way. Everything seemed to be going well until one day, he disappeared.

At first she just thought that he needed time to himself as sometimes he would go on small hunting trips alone to "clear his head". However, when he didn't return after a month she began to worry. He had never been gone longer than a couple of weeks in the past, and her mind began to conjure worse case scenarios. Was he dead? Had he lost control of his Youkai? Did someone come across him during the new moon? Was he trapped somewhere?

At first she began going on small trips a couple days at a time looking for him, calling his name and asking around other nearby villages. She did this knowing she wouldn't find him, but she wanted to do something. She had to. She couldn't live with herself if she didn't at least try. When she had found nothing after several months of this, she lost hope. He was gone and she felt utterly alone. He wasn't coming back. She wept for weeks, grieving for her lost friend, love, and the one person she felt safe with in this feudal world.

When Sango and Miroku found out about this they had come to her, offering her a place to stay in the exterminator village they were re-building. She refused. Continuing her studies as a Miko under Kaede, and wait for InuYasha felt like the only viable option left to her. They had looked concerned but didn't push her, returning to the new village they called home. Even shippou had come back from the kitsune school he enrolled in, offering to stay with her to keep her company. She had refused, insisting he continue his education. It was important after all.

She continued her own studies under Kaede for another two years, dedicating her life solely to the life of a Miko and surprising all of those around her with how quickly she began to learn. With no InuYasha around to distract her mind, with no friends, with no family, she had nothing else. She had no choice but to occupy her mind with lessons lest she think of him. Of InuYasha.

With her studious and bright mind, it wasn't long before she surpassed Kaede and was forced to learn on her own, mimicking what she had seen others do. It was a slow an incomplete way of learning, but because her strength was so closely tied to her emotions, she managed to find her way and discover what she was actually capable of.

It was on one of her pilgrimages into the mountains to meditate on her powers when it happened. Kaede died. That was when her world truly collapsed around her. Her only friend and teacher left to her was gone.

Weeks were spent trying to make the well work by channeling her ki into the old wood, hoping that it would ignite the long dormant magic. When it didn't work she became desperate and started jumping into the well, the pain of sprained ankles nothing in comparison to the suffocating pain of being alone. Only after breaking her leg and having one of the villagers find her sobbing at the bottom of the well several days later did she gave up. She spent the span of time it took for her leg to heal crying for her loss and loneliness.

That was a year ago. Now, along with the young woman, Aya, who had been apprenticed to Kaede before Kagome, she took care of the village. Kagome protected against the odd demon and helped out with chores where Aya mostly tended to the villagers, taking care of their various medical needs. It was a simple and rewarding life, but Kagome felt no attachment, built no connections between herself and the villagers. Nobody would ever be able understand the time traveling Miko.

Sighing again as she finished with the linens, Kagome gathered her things into the straw basket next to her and started back in the direction of the village. Tomorrow marked the fourth year of InuYasha's disappearance and she found she no longer longed for his presence. Not only that, but she had given up on the well. It was never going to open again as sure as she was that InuYasha would never return. There was no point dwelling on something that was never going to change. When she came to accept these things several months back, she also came to the realization that she no longer belonged in the village. The people kept their distance from her as they feared but respected the Shikon Miko that kept company with demons. With the silent acceptance of her circumstances, she decided she was going to leave on the same day InuYasha left her to this life. She would rather wander the feudal era and be truly alone than feel alone among a village. She would leave with the sunrise.

"Aya!" The young Miko called, placing her basket down next to her leather traveling pack she had acquired when both straps on the giant yellow backpack had finally broken. No longer did she need a large pack for her miko garb granted her access to many conveniently hidden pockets. She began cutting the linen into long strips and folding them away, placing into her almost full pack. That was the last of what she needed. She had a couple blankets, a cloak, a wolf fur given to her from Ayame when Kagome had convinced Kouga to mate the lovely demoness, necessary herbs, salves, bandages, soap, sewing kit, dried berries and meats, some rice, a couple pieces of silver she had saved over the years, and her old cooking pot. She would be traveling light as she planned to follow the road, acquiring what she needed from each town she stopped by. She would be Kagome, the wandering Shikon Miko that didn't kill demons without a reason.

"You really are leaving."

Kagome lifted her cerulean eyes to the younger woman before her and gave a half smile that didn't touch her eyes. There was no remorse in the words, only neutral acceptance. They would be fine. Demons hardly even came to the village anymore, they didn't need a full time protector let alone a miko that didn't always kill demons.

"I will check up on you when I can." she said, placing her pack next to the door as she walked out the small hut's door. "I will help you with the garden today."

Aya nodded respectfully and followed Kagome to the garden where the two girls pulled weeds and watered the growing plants in silence. This time tomorrow, Kagome hoped to be a long way from the little village she once called Tokyo.

_Alright, now that you're all caught up to what happened to Kagome, now on to learning how she's changed. Next chapter is already outlined and it should be out in the next couple days._

_Feel free to review, and I'm open to criticism. I haven't written in literally years, so please be constructive! Outright flames without reason are unnecessary._

_I hope you're all ready for some real life changing views._

_-Falcon_


	2. Chapter 2: Poison

**Life Continues Forward**

Chapter 2: **Poison**

Kagome's heart felt light as she rested against the tree to just the side of the road, eating rice the village she encountered that morning gave her. When the inhabitants had seen her approaching, they had fallen over themselves begging for her help with a demon, and she couldn't help but giggle at the memory. The demon was a little thing, surely no larger than Jaken, and looked like what she knew as a gremlin spawned of water. The problem they had with the slippery little thing was that it was eating the village cats, causing an influx of mice that ate their precious rice. It was a simple fix of wards around the perimeter of the town and took no time at all. They had been grateful and surprised when she didn't ask for anything more than her days meal and directions to the next town.

Kagome figured she was already halfway there, and if she was lucky would get there before nightfall. Although she found she was enjoying her travels; finding fulfillment in helping other travelers and villages, she still got lonely at night and preferred to spend the evening in the company of others. Even if that company was taking care of some poor sick soul through the night. It kept her mind busy, and that's all she could ask for.

A sudden explosion of youkai jolted her from her slow regard of the clouds above, smile falling from her face. Quickly she stood, slinging her bag over her shoulder and abandoning what little of her rice was left. Although she wasn't absolutely certain, the youkai aura seemed to be an influx of fear. Frowning, she began jogging forward, her feet finding easy purchase on the uneven ground. After so many years in the feudal era, she was glad to finally be able to walk without falling on her face.

When she reached the small path that held the struggling life form, she was shocked to see a child, her eyes widening in horror as she rushed to his side. He looked at her fearfully but didn't move away, body shaking against the ground. "What happened to you." she whispered, concern lacing her voice as she knelt beside him.

"You poisoned us!" he boy cried, causing her eyes to widen in shock. "Are you happy?! Everyone is dying!" he spat at her with an anger that shook his obviously taxed body further. She felt saddened at that statement, silently cursing the closed mindedness of her fellow miko. It seemed cruel and unfair to attack anyone so young.

"I can assure you that it wasn't me. Let me help you. Where are the others so that I can tend to them too?" she said reaching out to him, stopping when he snarled. "You're a miko. If it wasn't you who did it, then you wouldn't help us anyways. You want us all dead! You're all the same! WHY?!" he ended with a choking sound, looking like he was on the brink of tears but holding them back. The child was very obviously distressed and was doing everything he could to not fall apart.

Frowning at the little boy, Kagome picked him up despite his yowl of protest. "The Shikon Miko doesn't care what you are. If you're in need, then she will help." she reprimanded gently, walking up the path from the way the boy seemed to have come. "Now, you're going to lead me to the others so I can help them. You weren't poisoned, were you?" she finished, voice lowering to a near whisper as she examined him for any visible injuries. Over time, Kagome had come to realize that both humans and demons recognized the "Shikon Miko" as a soul who helped all despite race. Sometimes, this got her in trouble with humans, and other times it helped her in situations with demons. It was always a gamble.

The little boys face turned into a mask of surprise, his lips forming a perfect 'o' as his eyes widened. Shaking his head in the negative, he pointed his finger in the direction of his village. "Good, lets get going then." Kagome said, adjusting her direction accordingly before making her way as quickly as possible towards the boy's home. By how exhausted the poor child was, she imagined it was quite a ways off, and so kept up a steady walk. She could only hope she got there before it became night. The forest was dangerous once it got dark.

Although she would be fine defending herself and the boy against any demon they could encounter, she wanted to reserve her energy for helping the others the boy mentioned as she had no idea the state they could be in. However, noting the boys perfect human state she imagined they were better off than most.

"Why are you by yourself?" She finally asked after a time, stepping around some brush. The path was rough and clearly not traveled often, making for a much slower pace than she would have liked. At the boy's silence she glanced at him, watching as his golden brown eyes where overwhelmed with tears. She pressed his head of brown hair into her shoulder, her mouth taking on a grim line of determination. The poor child was too young to be experiencing this kind of terror.

"I was playing near the river when I saw it." she heard him cry into her haori. "There was blue smoke in the air. I smelt it, and heard their screams. I had to find help." His sobs increased, her heart aching for the young boy. She hoped his friends and family were going to be fine, and if they weren't. Well. She didn't want to think about that yet.

Silently she cursed whatever miko or human that poisoned them, for she recognized the description for what it was, reiki infused poison ash that coated the air and any surface it settled on. It wasn't something she had ever used, but it was something she learned from Kaede in her studies. It was purposefully extremely painful and killed most youkai within several hours. At first she had refused to learn about any underhanded tricks used to kill, but Kaede had said that if she knew how to do these things, she could also counteract it. With that in mind, she had set out to learn anything she could, determined to be the best she could be. This particular poison smoke she had learned about from Sango. Among other things.

She thought about how she would counteract this poison when the boy eventually cried himself to sleep, his exhaustion taking over as she continued to carry him. It was when she was about to stop and camp for the evening lest she start tripping that she saw what looked like a ghost town. There was no movement until she felt the boy reach out with his aura as if searching for something. Probably his family. She felt multiple auras expand in response to his and she surveyed the area, noticing it was covered by the white ash of the poison, including the people strewn across the ground. Gasping, she put the boy down with a firm "Stay."

Jogging up to where the ash had started settling on the ground, she reached out with her aura, identifying each individual before expanding her reiki outward. She spent a considerable amount of time standing there, ashen brows furrowed in concentration as she carefully purified the ash like she would have Naraku's miasma. The only difference was that after the poison was purified, the ash remained like a light snow covering everything in the village. The inhabitants included.

Rushing into the village the beckoned to the boy to follow, ash curling up into the air in her wake. "Is there a place I can bring everyone?" she asked while looking around for something she could use as a stretcher. Coming across what looked like a rack meant for drying foods, she began cleaning it as best she could. It would have to do.

"There is a barn at the edge of the village." he had responded, pointing at a rather large building. She nodded, adjusting her makeshift stretcher behind her. "Can you go there and clean it as best you can? I want to fit everyone on the main floor so you may have to move whatever is in there around." Kagome watched him nod then run off before turning to the closest prone figure on the ground. Checking the woman's vitals, she was glad to see that she was mostly fine if only weak. However the burns covering the demon's skin did concern her, and she hoped they wouldn't become infected.

Brushing what she could off of the woman, Kagome hoisted her onto her stretcher then brought her to the barn which she noticed was very clean. "Good job." she voiced aloud to the boy that was no longer there. She placed the woman along the furthest wall, made certain she would be fine without immediate attention, then left the barn to gather others.

Kagome repeated this process more times than she could remember, every single village occupant unconscious besides the boy's mother. When she had come across the boy and the demoness, she had been wary, but was quickly assured by the woman's kind nature and smile despite her pain. When she was safely in the barn, she had the boy, Isamu, clean any remnants of ash and give water to those who awoke. She considered it was a good sign so many were awakening as soon as they were, as she supposed it meant the poison was weak. It was only the young and old that seemed to be struggling with their recovery, but they all seemed to be slowly gaining strength.

By the time the sun started to rise she had everyone from the village in the barn cleaned, and deemed them all capable of healing on their own. Except for one. Looking down at the elderly man she felt tears well in her eyes as he smiled at her, his cool hand clasped between her own. "Thank you." he said to her, voice shaking with effort. He was dying and he knew it, yet he smiled for her. "You saved my people." he continued, smile never faltering. All she could do was nod, not trusting her voice. She watched then as he took his last breath, and she covered him with the blanket.

Standing, she moved to an empty place along the wall, leaning against it she slid down to a sitting position, overlooking the rows of people in the barn. A watery smile overtook her features. Everyone would make it. She did it. She saved Isamu and his mother. His friends. His village. Exhaustion overtook her in that moment, the weight of the night crashing over her with a force she didn't wish to fight. Allowing her eyes to close, she let sleep overtake her. She would deal with the day when she awoke.

_As i'm getting into the flow of the story and getting a better feel for who Kagome now is, I will be getting more descriptive and in depth. For now, I hope you don't mind how vague I am. As I've said before, it's been ages since I've written anything and I have to get used to it all over again. It probably doesn't help that I write what I can between phone calls._

_Don't worry, Sesshoumaru will come into play in a couple chapters._

_Thank you for your reviews! I find it encouraging to hear from you, and I like hearing about what you hope to see from the story. It makes me re-think and in this chapter made me re-write a couple parts. Hopefully I can only get better!_


	3. Chapter 3: Lost

**Life Continues Forward**

Chapter 3: **Lost**

Growling in frustration Kagome paced along the river, her long ebony locks in disarray as she clenched angry fists in her hair. Why oh why was she directionally challenged?! When she had left the quaint demon village they had pointed her back into the direction of the road, and that direction had somehow turned into circles! It was a wonder she had found the village in the first place!

Letting out a whimper stuck between angry and distressed she sunk to her knees on the pebbles of the riverbank. What if she was lost forever? At this point she couldn't even remember which way she had come from let alone where she was going. Panicking wasn't going to do her any good and she decided that she needed time to think, supposing that eating lunch was in her favor. Taking the extra pack the village had given her to carry the various gifts and food they insisted she take for helping them, she removed some of the dried fish and situated herself against a rock, basking in the sun and doing her best to clear her mind of her predicament.

Her mind wandered to the very grateful village she had helped the previous day, smiling as she remembered the little boy Isamu. Once he had gotten over the shock and his mother was mostly recovered, he had been an exuberant child bursting with energy and hanging off of her every chance he got. He asked her for story after story about her travels as the Shikon Miko, and after a while, the other children had come to listen to her stories too. Even some of the older demons had ventured to listen, which came as a surprise to her. She learned very quickly that they were a peaceful farming village just on the outskirts of the western lands and were often subjected to harsh treatment from human outsiders who didn't understand that the demons meant no harm. she also learned that they were a clan of "Bronze Inu" which explained some of the villagers downy brown fur. She had never known Inu Youkai besides InuYasha and Sesshoumaru, but supposed she never had reason to travel to the west and wasn't surprised that yet another type of demon had bygone her curious nature. Her lack of travels to the west also brought her a small sense of assurance as that promised a semblance of safety. If she hadn't traveled there before, it meant that when Naraku was around even he avoided the region which meant safety. Either that or there was something bigger and more scary than Naraku. She decided to go with the former option.

With that in mind, she wasn't so stupid as to realize she was in Sesshoumaru's lands. Knowing this, she wasn't sure how to feel. Though she doubted she would run into the esteemed lord, what if she did? She supposed he was more big and bad than Naraku, in his own way. Even if they had temporarily worked together at Naraku's end and he had acquired her assistance in matters pertaining to Rin, she doubted he would treat her with any kindness. What if he asked her to leave? Well, he'd have to put up with her being around as she was not directionally coordinated enough to leave on a whim. Scoffing at herself, she shook her head of the thoughts. She wasn't going to run into the stoic daiyouki.

Finishing her dried fish, she began looking at the things the villagers had given her. Each family had insisted she take something, saying it was the least any of them could do since she saved their lives. Had they been left under that ash for too long, they would have all slowly disappeared. Of course, she wasn't the only one rewarded as Isamu was also thanked for finding her in the first place, causing the young boy to puff his chest out with pride.

Slowly, she spilled out her bags contents and began looking at the small baubles and coin she had received. Even though they insisted, she still felt bad for taking the offerings. The first thing she unpacked was what looked like a little crest plated in gold from Hikimo, Isamu's mother. She had been told that if she kept it with her, she would be welcome to stay at any nobles house in the west. When Kagome had promptly refused to take such an item, Hikimo had only shook her head sadly saying it was of no use to her any longer. Not wanting to pry, she accepted the gift with a bow and stored it away. The rest of the gifts were silver coins, food, and clothing. She had absolutely no use for the clothing as she never imagined she'd have a use for Kimono ever again, but she figured she could sell them for a small price if she ever came across a merchant. All in all she didn't get a lot, but she still felt like it was too much.

Putting all of her newly acquired items away with a sigh, Kagome adjusted her packs onto her back as she stood. The sun was now starting it's slow decent from the sky, and in that moment she decided that if she were to just go the way the sun set, she would at least avoid going in circles. Glaring at the rock she was sure she walked by at least three times, she made a vow to herself that she would never see that rock again. She didn't want to even think about what she would do if she did because it would mean that she was hopelessly lost and would surely die out there. Alone. Probably from starvation or some wild animal. Again, she was thinking about things that wouldn't happen again! Well, starvation or death by rabid animal was completely possible, but she wouldn't let it happen and she should stop thinking about it lest it give her nightmares.

Lifting her chin in defiance of her own thoughts, Kagome marched forward, determined to follow the sun until it got too low in the sky. She had already wasted too much time walking in circles, and she wanted to be in another town as soon as possible. Breathing in a sigh of hot summer air, Kagome vaguely wondered what colours would taste like. Shaking her head she wondered if she would go insane with nobody but herself to keep her company.

**.**

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_I saw the Hobbit: The Battle of Five Armies yesterday. I don't know what to do with all my feels! Ahem._

_Anyways, I hope you like this chapter. I felt it was time to get into the inner workings of Kagome's mind. She's still the same person, just the way she reacts and perceives things is different. I also wanted this chapter to be a bit longer, but it somehow didn't end up that way. I am trying to make my chapters at least 1,000 words._

_Next chapter or two Kagome will encounter our favorite Inu Lord._

_Thanks again for your lovely reviews. It makes my slow work days more tolerable and I have fewer urges to hit my head against a wall._


	4. Chapter 4: Threat

**Life Continues Forward**

Chapter 3:** Threat**

"Get a Grip." Kagome scolded herself as she looked at the less adorable now that it was dead rabbit. Having run out of food the day before Kagome had gone hunting, caught the poor creature laying in front of her, and now she had to make it edible. This of course involved skinning it and removing the organs which she did not want to do. Suddenly, she really missed her old traveling companions as they had always done this gruesome part for her. Should would rather eat at a village or even with some traveling merchants as she had done in the past, however, she had been hopelessly lost without a road in sight for about a week now. If she didn't hunt now there was no saying how long she would go without food.

Taking a deep breath, she stood, grabbing the rabbit around it's chest and squeezed, shuddering at the slight warmth the creature still held. Bringing her arms up Kagome swung down as hard as she could between her legs and gagged as she watched the little creatures organs spill out of it's own body. Although she was thankful she didn't have to worry about cutting into the organs and spoiling her kill, it was still a gruesome method. Eyebrows furrowing in concentration, she began to cut the rabbit down the stomach, removing and cutting what was left of it's organs and removing the fur. It was a difficult process for someone who had never done it before, but eventually she had long strips of Rabbit meat to consume. When everything was in her cooking pot, she couldn't help but feel a little proud of herself. She did it. All on her own.

When her not so delectable food was cooked, Kagome packed up and decided to eat on the go as there was a few more hours of daylight she may as well take advantage of. InuYasha would have been so proud of her for not 'sitting around', the slave driver that he is. Had been. Really, she ought to thank the energetic boy for her outstanding stamina. She could walk an entire day without getting tired now. "I can even manage to walk without tripping." she said aloud, the birds around her silencing at her outspoken declaration. She really needed someone to talk to or something more to do besides walk, eat and sleep. This routine was getting rather boring.

It wouldn't have even been so bad if she had come across a river or spring to bathe in, she mused. Her hair was getting to ridiculous levels of unmanageable, and she wanted nothing more than to rub her skin raw. Really, being unable to bathe made her one grumpy miko and she feared that if a youkai tried to attack her it would die from her smell alone. "Kagome, shikon miko, destroyer of noses!" and as if on que, Kagome looked over to see a man whose eyes were wide as he regarded her.

Resisting the urge to laugh in embarrassment and doing her best to smile sweetly while looking as sincere and not crazy as possible. "Good day!" she called, walking in the direction of the man she now recognized as a youkai. "Are you from a nearby village?" she asked, hope colouring her voice at the prospect of food she didn't have to skin herself. Not to mention a bath. What she did not expect was for the man to turn tail and run away. Well, that was rude of him. She'd certainly never had anyone run away from her before and wondered if he was scared for his nose. Sighing, she extended her aura and began following him, hoping that once she reached what she thought might be a village, they wouldn't attack her.

Trudging through the brush she came up to where the man had stood and saw the unmistakable teltale signs of a road. Doing an internal jump for joy, Kagome began walking down the road with her new found energy in the quickly dwindling sunlight. Finally! No more getting lost, no more hunting, and no more stinking! This day was the best she'd had in a week, though it wasn't saying much.

When Kagome saw a large stone wall with open thick wooden gates she couldn't help but grin widely. She had never seen a village with stone walls let alone gates before, but she figured it probably just had more wealth or housed a lord. Maybe they had merchants! Dare she hope for a proper bath house? As she stepped through the gates, however, her smile faltered at the armed men that came up to her on all sides, essentially stopping her from escaping. If she had wanted to. She regarded the men warily, taking note that they appeared to know what they were doing. They were also youkai. Though, she learned a long time ago that appearances meant nothing. Being youkai, however. A little more concerning.

"You will come with us, Miko." she heard one of them call. Looking to the man with fiery red hair and bright green eyes, she placed her hand on her hips and pursed her lips. "I don't think I'm going anywhere without an explanation as to what's going on." she retorted, brows furrowing. She'd be damned if she just allowed someone to coral her off!

"You had intent to attack one of those under our protection." he replied as he and the others started moving as if trying to get herd her. Firmly planting her feet on the ground, she flared her aura in warning, causing the youkai to stop. She noticed, with a bit of pride, that those she could see had wide eyes and looked as if they wanted to bolt. Good. Let them be scared. "I asked the man if he came from a village then he ran away without a word. I followed the road. I didn't attack anyone. Especially without reason."

"You are Miko."

"Well I'm different!" she nearly stamped her foot like an indignant child and settled for crossing her arms instead. Really, it seemed she was better off wearing that skimpy green school uniform! At least then she could get by mostly without trouble. If you didn't count the unwanted suitors. She held eye contact with the green eyed man lifting her chin in what she fancied looked like a dignified manner, exuding her inner Sesshoumaru. Or so she hoped.

"Lord Sesshoumaru will be your judge."

"What?" she responded, all thoughts of looking dignified gone. The man gave her a funny look then, as if second guessing her intelligence. She didn't care. Apparently Sesshoumaru was going to judge her and she didn't like that notion one bit! She would die! There was absolutely no way he didn't loathe her guts! She gave his brother their fathers sword, shot arrows at him, and was in general an annoying teenage girl every time she was in his presence! He would behead her for being a "nuisance"! Her entourage started moving again.

"NO! Please! Anyone but Sesshoumaru! He'll kill me!" The redhead shook his head and looked away from her now.

"You shouldn't have trespassed on his lands."

"Trespassed!" she yelled, getting slightly angry now. "I was lost in the woods for kami knows how long and all I wanted was some food and a bath!" Maybe they didn't need to know that, but damn was she tired. Tired of a lot of things at this point. "I will not be seeing Sesshoumaru." she clipped while building her aura around her, causing reiki to crackle around her. She would just leave. It might not be easy, but anything was better than giving Sesshoumaru a chance to condemn her.

"Miko."

Freezing, Kagome slowly turned around, bringing her aura back to her like the snap of a rubber band. With eyes wide, it took all of her power to stand tall before the demon lord, getting little confidence from the bowing guards.

"Sesshoumaru?" she said dumbly.

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_Sorry, this chapter was a but rushed but I didn't want to read it over. _Again. _I just can't be happy with this one._

_I also realized I need to explain to you all that I'm a Canadian and that as a Canadian, I apparently spell some things differently. "Colour" is one among other words i can't think of off the top of my head._

_Chapters will not be posted over the weekend._

_Thanks again for your lovely reviews! I'm glad some of you are excited about my story. You give me the warm fuzzies.  
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_I always imagined blue being a very rich taste. If it had a taste._


	5. Chapter 5: Stay

**Life Continues Forward**

Chapter 5: **Stay**

Looking at the demon lord sitting across from her, Kagome resisted the urge to tap her fingers in annoyance and opted to squeeze her arm instead. She had willingly followed Sesshoumaru when he had dismissed his guards and told her to "come", but now he seemed to be ignoring her as he read through a scroll. At the realization that Sesshoumaru was sitting across from her at a desk full of what she deemed paperwork, her annoyance dissipated to something between horror and amusement. There was Sesshoumaru, "killing perfection", the homicidal maniac they all knew an love behind a pile of paperwork on a desk. Perhaps she had this guy pegged all wrong.

"Miko." he said, voice bringing her from her thoughts. "Explain yourself." Oh, good. Now he wanted to talk.

Feeling slight miffed at the demand, Kagome clenched her hands together in her lap and gave a slight frown. "I'm sure you heard my story. I was lost in the woods and when I saw a man I asked him if he came from a village. He ran off without a word and I followed him here looking for a place to get food and take a bath which I'm sure you can tell I sorely need." she snapped. She didn't mean to sound so irritable, but when as she finished her sentence, her eyes widened in minute horror. She was just rude to Sesshoumaru. Paperwork or not, he was a powerful youkai that she could never hope to best. "I'm sorry, Sesshoumaru-Sama. I didn't mean to get upset with you." she quickly said knowing he wouldn't accept excuses and so she gave none. She watched as he inclined his head slightly and she had to supress the renewed frustrations. He was such a pompous ass! At least he wasn't telling her to "die" and actually rescued her from his guards she told herself. "Sesshoumaru-Sama. May I go now? I'd like to find a place to bathe and rest, if I could." She couldn't imagine what more he could want from her.

"Where is InuYasha?"

"I don't know." She sighed bringing her hand up to rub the bridge of her nose. She felt vaguely surprised Sesshoumaru called his brother by his name and not "hanyou" like he was known to do. Although not having InuYasha around didn't bother her any longer, she still never liked to dwell on the possible reasons why he would be gone for as long as he was. "It's been four years."

"You may stay here." Wishing she had been looking at his face, Kagome stood as the lord did, opening her mouth to speak but what she found was only a loss of words. Was Sesshoumaru being nice? "Thank you." she finally settled on as she watched him leave the room. Following him to the door, she was surprised to see a small demon girl standing in her way instead of Sesshoumaru. That was quick. "Please follow me, Shikon Miko-Sama." the burnette had said in such a small voice Kagome almost thought she had imagined it.

Keeping in step behind the girl for she realize she had no other choice, Kagome couldn't help but try to look everywhere at once. She hadn't paid any mind to the Shiro when she had first arrived as she was too concerned for her life at the time, and now she felt regret that she hadn't. It was absolutely stunning.

The Shiro itself was built into a mountain side, the rooms and protective walls carved into the beautiful grey stone. Where there wasn't stone there was a beautiful dark wood intricately carved and placed seamlessly into the stone. Some walls were solid stone, some were solid wood, and some a mixture a both. There were stone and wooden pillars strewn artistically about, and somehow the odd combination of wood and stone managed to look breathtakingly beautiful. The walls were adorned with simple but elegant tapestries, and alongside the small carvings and etched details in the wood and stone of the shiro, she realized that any more decoration would make the place too gaudy. Truly, she was amazed by the structure and wondered why the place didn't exist in her time. Surely it would have been a tourist attraction.

Partway down one of these intricate hallways her guide came to a stop at a thick wooden door which was opened for her when she approached. Stepping inside when she was motioned to do so, Kagome was amazed at the sheer size and beauty of the room. It seemed unnecessarily large with a high ceiling, but she realized that the room had a more natural cave look to it and she realized it probably originally was. The floors were perfectly flat and if she were to run, she imagine she could slide across the floor in her socks. The walls, it seemed, were once in their natural state but had been worn down and smoothed with time, where the ceiling still seemed crisp and had a curve to it that made her feel like she was behind a waterfall. She noticed that the room had minimal furnishings that included a wardrobe, a desk which she figured was more of a vanity as it had a small hand mirror on it, and a futon. However, the futon was more a bed of furs with silk blankets.

Turning the the wall opposite the door, Kagome noticed that it was almost completely sliding doors and was pleased by the sun casting a warm orange light of the sunset through the rice paper. Opening said doors, she was pleasantly surprised by the sight of a small private garden sheltered by large stone and wooden walls. It has no room for trees, but it had a small bench, artistically placed flowers, and what looked like her own personal spring. Doing a little jump she raced to the springs edge and was greeted with the sight of warm tendrils of steam creeping from the surface of the not quite translucent water. To the side of the spring there was one small section of rock that was flattened and upon it was a neatly folded cotton towel, a bucket of water, a bar of soap and a sponge. SOAP! She hadn't had soap since the last of hers ran out years ago! Looking back into her room she noticed that her guide had already left her and without hesitation quickly removed her clothes and sat on a smooth rock beside the bucket.

Picking up the bar she was slightly disappointed at it's lack of smell, but quickly started working up a lather. She cleaned her hair first then her body, not satisfied until every last bit of grime and oil on her body was decimated. When she was bright pink from scrubbing her body raw she used the last of the water in the bucket to quickly rinse off then slid quickly into the spring, shivering as her body temperature adjusted. Sighing, the felt her body relax into the smooth stones of the spring and closed her eyes, enjoying the feeling of the springs natural minerals sooth her sore skin. She honestly couldn't remember the last time she had felt this clean, and she silently thanked the Kami and Sesshoumaru for their generosity. Suddenly she felt like one of the worst days ever had become one of the best. Just because of a single bath.

After sitting there and enjoying the spring for enough time to start pruning, Kagome opened her eyes and slowly left the hot water and wrapped herself in the soft towel still left untouched to the side. Giving a little content hum to herself, she was slightly shocked to notice her priestess robes were gone and replaced with an almost sheer silk yukata. She was grateful she didn't have to put her dirty clothes back on, but was slightly miffed that she hadn't noticed anyone slip into her room. She would have to be slightly more careful from now on.

Gliding back into her room and closing the door, she noticed there were a couple candles lit next to the bed that gave her just enough light to find her way to the soft looking furs. Settling in she blew out the scentless candles and thrilled to herself about how soft the furs and silks felt against her clean skin. A girl could certainly get used to living like that and she felt a pang of loss knowing she would have to leave the next day. Breathing deep, Kagome allowed the days exhaustion to crash over her and embraced the world of dreams.

**.**

**.**

_I honestly intended for Kagome and Sesshoumaru to interact more, but I realized that Sesshoumaru is, well, Sesshoumaru. Their relationship will progress slowly, but it will happen. There are lots of exciting things ahead._

_Thanks again for your support, guys, and thank you for your understanding! (Tattoos are awesome. I can't wait to get more myself.)_


	6. Chapter 6: A Void to be Filled

**Life Continues Forward**

Chapter 6:** A Void to be Filled**

Resisting the urge to tap her fingers in frustration, Kagome began to study Sesshoumaru as he read a scroll that was apparently too important to even acknowledge her presence. She studied first his perfectly straight silken hair that fell like liquid silver to the floor. How he ever kept it so neat she'd never know, and wished she had the same ability to keep her unruly hair in check. Next she followed his pointed ears to his high striped cheekbones and found the stripes contrasted nicely with his snowy skin. After studying his features for a time, she found herself distracted by his silver lashes as they brushed against his cheeks while he read, only to be startled when his golden eyes lifted to regard her. Looking away from her silent regard of his face, Kagome silently cursed him for being so beautiful. It wasn't fair that a man was more beautiful than her, a woman. Still, despite his beauty she wanted nothing more than to throttle him for taking so long to give her his attention.

"Thank you for your hospitality." she said lightly while standing, not wanting to waste any more time in the suddenly stuffy room. Really, she could have just left without saying goodbye and would have saved her ire but she didn't want to be rude when he had been so generous. "I hope to see you again." she added, surprising even herself at the truth behind the words. She had never thought she'd miss Sesshoumaru but it was certainly nice to see a familiar face, even if he had tried to kill her in the past.

As she turned to leave, Kagome could have sworn she saw Sesshoumaru's eyebrow raise if only a millimeter and she had a sudden irrational daydream of him plucking his brows in front of a vanity. Somehow the idea of him taking time to cater to his looks made it a little easier to accept his beauty. Then his voice stopped her in her tracks, jolting all thoughts of Sesshoumaru holding tweezers out of her mind. "You may stay if you wish."

"What?" she responded dumbly, her tone an echo from the day before. Pivoting to look at him she wondered why he would offer such a thing, causing her head to tilt unconsciously to the side. There was no way he would offer her to stay if he didn't gain anything from it; no matter how much she wished he just decided to be a good person for no particular reason. Realizing he wouldn't repeat himself as he continued to stare at her with the same blank expression she was used to, Kagome took a tentative step towards him. Should was quickly learning she would have to be specific with him if she ever wanted any information. "Why? What would you benefit from me staying here?"

"I would have you put on my council." he responded, looking down at another scroll, unwrapping it with a delicate grace that one really shouldn't possess while opening a roll of stiff paper.

"Why put me on your council?" she watched him lift his eyes to her again, and thought he looked slightly annoyed but quickly dismissed the notion. He was showing nothing but a blank face and she was just projecting her own emotions onto the stoic man. She was annoyed that he was being so brief and not forthcoming.

"Among the youkai court you would be considered a powerful ally. Having the Shikon Miko on my council will benefit me." She was amazed that he had strung together so many words and realized that was the most she had ever heard him say at one time. However, how anyone considered her a powerful ally was a mystery to her, let alone a benefit to have on a _council_.

"You of all people should know that the grand tales of the "Shikon Miko" are tall. You were there, Sesshoumaru-Sama. Everyone worked together." It was the truth. If it hadn't been for her friends, she wouldn't have been able to rid the world of the jewel like she had. It was through their combined efforts, Sesshoumaru included, that they were able to get rid of the menace that was Naraku once and for all.

"Yet you were the one to purify the jewel and take the credit."

"But-"

"What is your answer?" He said stopping her from protesting. He was looking at her again, and she felt suddenly angry at his continued blank expressions. Really! What a... what a prick! She felt like she was trying to pull teeth from an ogre talking to this man!

"Answer to what?!"

"That you will stay and serve the western lands under this Sesshoumaru."

"Yes!"

Feeling exasperated, Kagome sat down before him again, folding her hands in her lap and studying the man before her again. Despite the lack of forthcoming answers, she didn't know she was doing wandering around besides trying to find a plug for the small void she felt in her lonely life. In fact, this offer gave her a swelling feeling of hope in her chest. She wouldn't be alone.

Although she doubted Sesshoumaru would be any kind of good company, at least he had been a part of her past and knew the truths of her adventures. Not only that, but the Shiro was probably bustling with interesting people she could befriend and not people who had unrealistic expectations of a "Shikon Miko". On second thought, they may have unrealistic expectations of her, but she knew Sesshoumaru never would, and one person was enough. For the meantime. Now, she only needed to know one thing. "What will my duties be?"

Gods, she hoped she wasn't getting herself into anything too difficult.

.

.

_I'm sorry about the delay for this chapter. I went on vacation then came back to piles of work waiting for me. I'm also going on a trip in two weeks so I have to play catch-up then prepare work in advance so my co-workers don't get swamped by what should have been my work. The stress is all worth it though. Gonna see me some amazing people._

_Anyways. I feel like this could have been a little more fleshy, but my brain couldn't concentrate on more than what it wanted said and done._

_As always, thank you for the lovely reviews. I'm glad I can bring you at least a little entertainment. :)_


	7. Chapter 7: Making a Place

**Life Continues Forward**

Chapter 7: **Making a Place**

Putting down what she hoped was the last scroll, Kagome began lazily playing with the pretty engraved brush and thick parchment paper she had been provided. It had been about a month since she had agreed to join Sesshoumaru's court, and it had consisted of more studying than high school had ever demanded of her. Luckily she had matured over the years and despite her rude instructor and Sesshoumaru's demands to read pile after pile of scrolls, she had managed to keep her composure. If she had learned one thing with age, it was that there was a time and place for everything, and now was not the time to complain. Of course, viewing this as training for not only a job but also survival in her new surroundings certainly made her view everything in a positive light. She was learning, she was adapting, and most important of all, she was busy. Until now. Sure, she didn't want to read another scroll on which ancestor slights which, but she now found herself with an abundant amount of free time, and she knew for a fact she could only practice her horrid calligraphy for so long before she began to feel sorry for the beautiful parchment paper. Which she was already starting to feel bad for as she looked at her messy ink strokes.

Sighing in contempt, she placed the brush down and moved away from her desk and began to pace her study. After she had accepted the "job", she was provided a small abode of her own to live in within the outer walls of the main castle. It was much more simple with less intricate carvings and certainly not built into the side of the mountain, but she doubted she could get lost within and for that she was grateful. Unfortunately, it also meant there was nothing that she had left unexplored. She could visit her own little private garden, sure, but flowers could only do so much to cure boredom. Perhaps it was time to venture out of her own little home and see what there was to see.

Nodding to herself as if to affirm her own thoughts, Kagome walked out of the small walls of her own private home, nodding as the guards looked at her with surprised looks. She had yet to ever leave, and she figured they didn't think she ever would. Smiling, she picked up her pace and began her sight seeing. The castle walls were much larger than she had ever thought, housing many small homes and castles within it. Well, what one would consider a castle for this time. Everything was clean, gardeners were busily working, and guards were dutifully standing at every gate. It was almost surreal, and she suddenly felt akin to a princess exploring where she shouldn't making her feel instantly out of place. Adjusting her haori, she was about to turn back when a building caught her eye. It was shaped differently than the regal houses with a more simple square structure, and she realized that it was a dojo. Curiosity taking a hold of her, she walked across the large field separating the last house from the dojo. Perhaps she could find some entertainment there.

As she crept closer, she began to here shouting and the dull thud of what she could only assume was from wooden swords. She shouldn't feel surprised that there was a dojo on the grounds, but she couldn't help but feel a sense of amazement as she crept closer to the open door. Peeking in, she was greeted with the sight of many half naked men of all body types and demons. "Wow." she heard herself all but whisper, but that whisper rewarded her with every eye turning to look at her. Damn demons and their hearing. Now she could feel the red creep up and flush across her face in a burning heat. Standing straight, she flashed what she hoped was a winning and not awkward at all smile. Hopefully this time nobody would run away. "Please, do continue! Don't mind me!" They all seemed to collectively hesitate before continuing their routines, and she realized that though she felt out of place before, she was even more so here.

"If it isn't the newest member of Lord Sesshoumaru's court." she heard a slightly familiar voice say as she was about to leave. Turning, Kagome was met with the sight of a very muscled shirtless man with fiery red hair and bright green eyes. She watched as he gave a bow and regarded her with an expression she could only name as awkward. His lips were pulled into a careful half smile that didn't reach his eyes, and his hands were clasped behind his back.

"If it isn't the man that wanted to imprison me." she responded, giving a lopsided smile when she watched him cross his arms and lower his head in a bashful way.

"I wanted to apologize for that."

"You don't need to. You were doing your duties as is expected of you." she cut him off before he could continue. "However, if you really wish to repent then we can make a deal." she added quickly, her voice light in a joking manner. This was the perfect opportunity to perhaps make a friend, and if not, at least it was worth a try.

He straightened his posture and looked her in the eye as if trying to size her up. She supposed in a castle, especially with a member of a court, a deal wasn't always necessarily a good thing. "What do you propose?"

"You escort me around the castle grounds." she smiled at him. "I'm afraid I don't know my way around and know nothing of the place besides the families that reside here. Even then, I don't even know which house they live in." she furrowed her brow and took a step closer. "I don't think I even know the way back to my own residence."

He chuckled then, and she snapped her eyes up to meet his, a grin overtaking her face. "I will change into a better state of dress and we shall leave immediately." he said, waiting for her nod of approval before turning on his heel and disappearing somewhere into the masses of men. She looked over the sparring men once more before leaving through the doors she had come, happy that her day wasn't going to be a complete write off.

She didn't wait long before the fire hared man appeared at her side, motioning for her to follow him. She couldn't help but admire his deep blue and purple attire, noticing how well the colours made his eyes and hair stand out. "Where would you like to go first, Miko-Sama?"

"You can just call me Kagome." she responded, motioning in the direction of some buildings she didn't remember seeing yet.

"I'm afraid I-"

"Yes, you can refer to me as such." she said sternly, voice softening when she noticed the frown pulling at his features even if he tried to hide it. "At least when you are in my company."

"I don't-"

"Please?" she quickly interrupted him. "You can call me whatever else you want in the company of others, but when it's just us, I'd like to be equals." Kagome knew she was pushing her luck with the man considering he was used to ranks coming from some sort of military background, but she figured it would be easier to break that habit sooner rather than later.

"Yes, Kagome-Sama." it's wasn't a complete win, but she wouldn't try her luck any further. Smiling broadly at the man, she picked up her pace, walking a little lighter.

"What can I call you?"

"Nobuyuki." he responded a little hesitantly, but he was just glad he even gave his first name at all.

"So, Nobuyuki, tell me everything you know about this place!"

**.**

**.**

_I am so incredibly sorry for the long wait between chapters. Between life shenanigans, traveling, moving, and getting ready for a new job I just haven't had the time to even... Well, I haven't even been able to grocery shop and have been living off pizza(I now know it is possible to get sick of pizza)._

_As usual, I feel like my work isn't good enough, but that's how it goes, and I'm sure I will always be my worst critic. I hate everything I write, but if I never write, I will never get better! Regardless, I hope you enjoy this chapter which is the gateway into Kagome's new court life. The beginning of it all. Enjoy it while it's nice and simple, because things will eventually take many difficult turns._

_Thank you all again for the lovely reviews, and I greatly appreciate the support it brings me! In the future, I may start having prizes(if you can really call it a prize) for those that review. Like characters named after frequent reviewers or dedicated chapters to those who's reviews inspire me. Just a thought! I want to give back to you what you give to me!_


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